Car dumper



l Sept. 15, 1936. R. w. KALTEN'BACH CAR DUMPER FiledFeb.. V18, 1952 ssheets-,sheet 1 FIG. 7

v `gnam/miep, M u WMM/ff s@ MMV /fw/ f SePt- 15,1936 R. w. KALTENBACH y2,054,199

' CAR DUMPER A Filed Reb. 18,- 1932 v sheetss'heet 2 'E65 @mf Sept. 15,1936.

R.l w. KALTENBACH' CAR DUMPER Filed Feb. 123,I 1932 Burri/e M @Taps 3Sheetg-Sheet 3 PHNEL.

PRA/EL REVERS/NG CONT/PDL PHA/EZ.

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/ULLECTR 5 gmc/nto@ wwf' Patented Sept. 15, 1936 ET D STATES 7 claims'.

This case is a continuation in part of my application Serial No.385,736, filed August 14th, 1929, Patent No. 1,846,970, dated Feb. 23,1932, and relates to car dumpers and particularly to those which have acradle into `which the car is shunted and which is provided withsuitable mechanism for clamping the car onto the tracks during thedumping operation. With apparatus, which has been used heretofore, a carenters the cradle, and is moved laterally during the initial movement ofthe cradle. The lateral movement is continued until the car strikesWooden buffer blocks, which heretofore have been bolted or otherwiseafXed to the side of the cradle, and which function to absorb most ofthe Weight of the car when it has been turned on its side during theemptying operation. After the dumping operation is completed, the nalmotion of the cradle is accompanied by a lateral movement of the car outof contact with the buffer blocks until the tracks on which the car ismounted are in .alignment with the approachV and run-olf tracksrespectively.

To effect such lateral movement of the car in the cradle, the practicehas been to utilize a platen on which the car is placed, and to mountthe platen on rollers which are arranged to move in trackWays extendingtransversely of the cradle. On large installations, the weight of theplaten is about 26,90() pounds, which is usually counterweighted by alike amount. Thus, it is apparent that considerable power must beexpended to move the platen and the car. kApart from this consideration,attention must be given at frequent intervals to the condition of theplaten, as Wear of the operating parts causes misalignment of thetracks. Furthermore, engagement of the car with the buffer blocksproduces an impact of considerable force that Wears the blocks quicklyand tends to damage the car. In addition, it produces tremendous workingstresses, which necessitate the use of heavy structural members towithstand the severe impact stresses.

The principal object of the present invention is toprovide means forenabling a car tomo-ve freely into a cradle, and so arrange thebuierblocks, on the side of the cradle that they may be operated to move intocontact with the car and thereby eliminate the use of a platen. Afurther object is; to provide a buffer mechanism which may readily becaused to move toward and con,- tact with the side of the car, by theoperator of the car dumper, and so arrange the mechanism as to preventinadvertent displacement of the buffers. By providing a motor drivenmechanism self-contained on the swinger member of the car dumper, and soarrange such mechanism that it may be controlled by the operator of thecar dumper and at the same time eliminate the necessity of moving ofsuch heavy bodies as the ti loaded car and its supporting platform, Ican increase the capacity of a given dumper for a denite unit of time,and shorten the period ,of time during which a barge or boat must remainidle during the loading operation. l0

I carry out the above objects by maintaining theV car supporting tracksin stationary position upon the cradle, and by moving the buffer blockstoward the car during the initial movement of the cradle until theyengage the car. There- 15. after, in the form of my invention,illustrated and described and claimed in my prior 'applicationheretofore referred to, I use the force exerted by the counterweights tomaintain the blocks in engagement with the side of the car. 20 However,in the forms of mechanism shown in the present application, I provide acradle with a power unit arranged to laterally contact with the load. Ind this advantageous in some instances, as it permits the operator tomove the buffers into contact with the side of the car before anymovement has beenimparted to the cradle. i

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of` a car dumping apparatusembodying one form of my invention, and showing in full lines the cradleandv car in the dumped position and in dotted lines the same parts afterthe preliminary elevation but immediately before the rocking movementtakes place; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section; Fig. 3 is a frontView of the mechanism shownin Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional View on anenlarged scale through part of the driving mechanism shown` in Fig. 3;Fig. 5 isa vertical section through a cradle showing a modified form 40of buffer operating mechanism, and Figs. 6 and 7 are views of differentforms of motive power for operating the buffer blocks shown in Fig. 2.Figs. 8 and 9 are electrical diagrams illustrating a circuit tovautomatically control the movement 45 vof the buiers.

Referring now to the form of apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, leindicates a cradle, Il tracks carried thereby, and I2 a car which issupported upon the tracks. A frame for supporting the 50 counterweightsand providing a guideway for the cradle is Villustrated in general atI5, while a hoisting drum is shown in general at I6 adjacent thebase ofthe frame. Hoisting cables l1 lead from the drum over suitable sheaveson the frame and cradle to effect a raising and lowering of the cradlein the usual way. -Y

The present invention isrconcerned with the provision of means foreffecting lateral move- 5 ments of suitable buiTerV blocks arranged toengage the side 'of the car and support it as the car is turned; Theapparatus illustrated comprises means forV moving buffer blocks 20 fromthe fullline position to the broken line position 20al as l indicated inFig.` 2. In'the full line position, the buffers are out of contact withthe car to a sufiicient extent to permit the car to be moved onto andaway from the cradle. sents the normal or rest position of the cradle. lThe apparatus for movingthe buffers into contact with the car isarranged to be Voperated by the car dumper attendant before or duringthe initial movement of the dumping operation, and preferably to effectcontact before the clamps 27| engage'the top of the car. If'desired,however,

. this may be accomplished automatically Vby contactors properly locatedin the path of movement of the cradle.

Y To insure engagement of the buffers 20 with l5 uniform pressureagainst the side of the car, I-

prefer to provide a pair of buffer blocks which are disposed insuperimposed relationship and are adaptedto be actuated simultaneouslyby a single source of power. In Fig. 2 this comprises an i V.'SVITelectric motor 40, in Fig. 6 a weighted member 1| and in Fig. '1 a fiuidactuated member 15. If desired, a source of power such as that indicatedmay be used for'operating a single buffer block, Y

but` I prefer to actuatera plurality ofV blocks, Vas a 35 groupVbyleaclr's'ource of power. Y

Considering now those which are actuated by v Van electric motor, andreferring particularly to Figs. 2,v 3 and 4, the buier blocks are shownas lhaving shanks 2| which are suitably threaded to @40 engage acorrespondingly internally threaded portion on the rotatable member 22.V'Ihese members are Yillustrated as being gears which are adapted to bedriven ,by pinions 23 on shafts 24. These Vlastrnamed shafts are then inVturn ar- {'f5 ranged togbe driven by themotor through Va pres'- sureequalizing or differential device. The pres-` sure-equalizingdevice inthe preferred formY is shown as a driving member and a driven member 26,which are adapted to be frictionally con- ]50 nected through a pressurering 21. The member 26 is shown, as being fixed to the shaft 24, whilethe member 25 is rotatable thereon. The force exertedby a ring againstthe driven member may be adjustably controlled by `set screws 278. The

driving' members are illustrated as being worm gears which are actuatedby worms Bil on shafts 3 |A which may comprisev a continuation of amotor Shaft'. Y

In Figs'. 8 and 9 I illustrate, diagrammatically,

F60 one method of automatic control for the buffer Yblock motors `4). Asshown, this control comprises a motor control panel |06 and a series ofcollectors I6 The panel and collectors are carried by the cradle andjoined electrically by'lines 65"162. vIhe collectors are arranged toslidably coritact with conductor rails |03 which are rigidly securedtothe main frame I5 and are electrically connected tothe cradle hoistcontroller by con- ;ductorsllld', 1

170 VVVThe operation is as follows: When the cradle hoist controller isvoperated to initiate thermovee ment Yof Vthe cradle, it will also setcontactors on the control panel which will set the buffer motors it inmotori. When' the bulers have made con- V .g5 ltact with the car, theirrespective motors 40 will be This position repredisconnected or thrownout of circuit by means of overload relays 45, Fig. 8, (one for eachmotor), each of which comprises a suitable circuit breaker operating tostop the motor in case of overload for either direction of movement ofthe motor,V but serving to close the circuit when the motor isVreversed. Such overload occurs when the buffers are forced tightlyagainst the car side or when they are withdrawn to their extremeposition.

YIn this connection, each motor and overload l0V mechanism operatesindependently of the other.

With the buffers in this position, in contact with the car, the motorsremain disconnected until the return or lowering movement of the cradle.

In bringing the cradle back from the position l5 Vin which the coal isdischarged, the cradle hoist control is reversed in the usual manner,which,

in turn, reverses the circuits through the control panel |00. The motorsare then thrown into operation when the cradle reaches its'vertic'al po-20 sition and the collectors again make contact with the main conductorrails |03. The motors thus operateV in a reverse direction and bring thebuffer blocks back to their original position, at

which time they are disconnected from their 25 source of power throughthe overload switch member, previously mentioned. This completes thecycle and the operation is repeated for the following. cycles.

It is to be noted that after the cradle reaches the turning point andturnsa slight distance on its pivot, the current to the buffer motors isentirely disconnected, as the collectors |0| are thus carried out ofcontact with the conductor rails |63. While the above method ofautomatic control is preferred, I do not desire to be limited to itsdetails, as the same operating results may be obtained by differentelectrical and mechanical arrangements.

In the mechanism described, therblocks are "40 prevented from lateralmovement away Vfromthe side of the .car in the cradle by anon-reversingconnection as employed in the screw and nut couple formed by thethreaded, shank 2| and the coasting gear 22. in position regardless vofthe weight exerted upon them by thecar during the tilting movement'ofthe cradle. Y

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of my invention wherein theelectric motor 40 mounted 50 on the cradle drives a worm 6| which, inturn,V operates a worm wheel 62. Such Yworm wheel Y comprises theringgear of a differential indicated in general at 63. The differentialVactuates a shaft 64 which extends upwardly to operate the 55 upperbuffer block; and another shaft 65 which extends downwardly to operatethe'lowerY buffer block. Each of the last named shafts carries a pinion6S,.arranged to mesh with respective racksY 61. The racks 61 arefastened to the buffer blocks `60 Y Vreference characters, while'theshaft on whichV the Worm 6| ofthe differential mechanism is carried isindicated at 69. Such shaft Vcarries a pinion 10 which meshes with avertically extendV r70 ing rack 1|. The' lowerV end of the rack. is

VY'weighted as at 12 and is intended normally to be in engagement withan abutment 13 rigid with the stationary frame when the 'cradle is inthe normal res position. When the cradle is l75 Thus, the blocks arelocked E5Y raised preliminary to its tilting, the action of gravityhol-ds the rack stationary, thus causing the pinion 10 to rotate and toactuate the gear mechanism to move the blocks 20 toward the car. Duringthe operation, the differential acts to insure the application ofuniform pressure against the car. When engagement is effected, theweighted rack is tilted with the cradle, during which movement thebumpers in engagement with the car prevent further rotation of the gears'HJ and thereby hold the racks and weights against further descent.

A modification illustrated in Fig. 7 shows a similar arrangement whereinthe rack H is arranged to be actuated by uid pressure within a cylinder15. In such case, the cylinder is mounted on a cradle and the fluidpressure, acting upon a piston 16 at the end of the rack, may be readilycontrolled to eifect the desired buffer block operation in eachdirection.

In view of the foregoing description, it is apparent that I haveprovided a novel means of effecting side contact with the car Withoutnecessitating the use of a platen upon which the car rests, and which isintended to be moved laterally on the cradle. I have shown differentways in which this result can be accomplished, and have hereinafterpointed out the essential characteristics in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a car dumper, the combination with a car supporting cradle, of abuffer, a frame arranged to support the cradle, means to raise thecradle in the frame, electric motors to move the buffer into and out ofengagement with the car, and control means to cause said motors to movethe buiers toward or away from the car consequent upon the movement ofthe cradle in the frame.

2. In a car dumper, the combination with a car supporting cradle, of abuffer, a frame arranged to support the cradle, means to raise thecradle in the frame, electric motors to move the buffer into and out ofengagement with the car, control means to cause said motors to move thebuffers toward or away from the car consequent upon the movement of thecradle in the frame, and means dependent upon the movement of thebuffers toward and away from the car to stop the operation of saidmotors.

3. In a car dumper, the combination of a stationary frame, a cradle,mechanism for raising the cradle in the frame and tilting it after ithas been raised a certain distance, a buffer block movably carried bythe cradle and adapted to coact with the side of the car, an electricmotor carried by the cradle for operating the buffer block, a conductorrail carried by the frame, a Contact carried by the cradle adapted toengage the conductor rail during the vertical movement of the cradle andto swing away from it when the cradle is tilted, and an electricconnection between the contact and the motor.

4. In a car dumper, the combination of a stationary frame, a cradle,mechanism for tilting the cradle, a buffer block movably carried by thecradle and adapted to coact with the side of the car, an electric motorcarried by the cradle for operating the buffer block, an overloadcircuit breaker for the motor, contactors in circuit with the motor andcarried by the frame and cradle respectively, said contactors beingdisconnected by movement of the cradle after it has moved apredetermined distance, and adapted to be reconnected upon return of thecradle, and means for reestablishing the circuit through the motor in areverse direction upon reconnection of the con- Y tactors.

5. In a car dumper the combination of astationary frame, a cradle,mechanism for tilting the cradle, a buffer block movably carried by thecradle and adapted to coact with the side of the car, an electric motorcarried by the cradle for operating the buier block, a conductor carriedby the frame, a` contact carried by the cradle adapted to engage theconductor and to swing away from it when the cradle is tilted, anelectric connection between the contact and the motor, an overloadcircuit breaker for the motor, and means for energizing the motor in thereversed direction consequent upon the contact reengaging the conductorupon the return movement oi' the cradle.

6. In a car dumper, the combination of a frame, a cradle, cablemechanism for raising the cradle, moto-r mechanism for operating thecable mechanism, said cradle being provided with means for carrying acar, a plurality of movable buifer blocks carried by the cradle andadapted to coact with the car side in various regions, motors on thecradle for operating the buffer blocks, means for automaticallyreversing the last mentioned motors consequent upon the reversing of thelifting motor, and circuit breakers associated with the buffer motorsand acting consequent upon the buffer reaching its extreme movement ineither direction, said circuit breakers being automatically restoredconsequent uponrthe reversal of the lifting motor. A

7. In a car dumper, a buier block, a threaded shank extending rearwardlytherefrom, a nut rotatably mounted on the shank and having a spur gearassociated therewith, a pinion meshing with the gear, `a shaft rigidwith the pinion, a friction couple having one member fixed to the shaft,and a second member rotatably mounted on the shaft, means for adjustingthe degree of friction between said members, a. worm wheel associatedwith the second named member, a worm meshing with said worm wheel, andan electric motor for operating the worm.

ROBERT W. KALTENBACH.

